JP3632340B2 - Infusion filter - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an infusion filter, and more particularly to a housing shape of an infusion filter using a hollow fiber membrane.
[0002]
[Prior art]
2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an infusion filter for preventing chemical infection injected into a human body such as intravenous infusion, that is, infecting bacteria due to infusion and mixing of foreign substances into the body has been used. In order to modularize this hollow fiber membrane, it is necessary to hermetically seal between the hollow fiber membrane and the hollow fiber membrane at the end, and between the hollow fiber membrane and the housing. Most of these use polyurethane or epoxy adhesives.
[0003]
As a sealing method, a stationary method in which the sealing material is poured by gravity and a centrifugal forming method in which the sealing material is filled in the end of the module using centrifugal force are frequently used.
[0004]
By the way, a conventional hollow fiber type infusion filter is a hollow fiber housing in which a hollow fiber is accommodated in a cylindrical housing, and one or both ends of the hollow fiber are sealed in the housing by the above method. Are arranged evenly at regular intervals or at equal intervals while considering the filling rate of the hollow fiber into the housing so that the filtration efficiency is the best.
[0005]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if it is simply arranged evenly in the housing, when sealing into the housing, the sealing material penetrates between the hollow fibers or between the hollow fibers and the inner wall of the housing due to capillarity, and the hollow fiber membrane is effectively filtered. In some cases, the film area was reduced and the appearance was poor. This phenomenon is particularly noticeable in the potting method by the stationary method, but occurs not a little in the centrifugal method. The present invention has been made to solve such a problem, and provides an infusion filter that reduces the reduction of the effective filtration membrane area caused by the capillary phenomenon and does not cause an appearance defect.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Therefore, as a result of intensive studies, the inventors of the present invention have solved the above problem by ensuring a sufficient space between the inner wall of the housing and the surface of the hollow fiber bundle so that the sealing material does not enter. That is, according to the present invention, the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle is reduced to the filter section housing by sealing the hollow fiber at least one end with the inner diameter of the housing adjacent to the seal section smaller than the inner diameter of the filter section housing. It is characterized in that means for reducing the diameter from the inner diameter is provided, or means for reducing the diameter of the bundle of hollow fibers from the inner diameter of the filter part housing on the inner surface of the seal part . In other words, a sufficient space is forcibly created between the inner wall of the housing and the hollow fiber by means of reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filter housing so that the sealing material does not enter due to capillary action. This prevents the sealing material from entering between the inner wall of the housing and the hollow fiber. Further, by forcibly creating the interval, the hollow fiber is preferably filled with respect to the housing volume and shaped so as not to complicate the manufacturing process.
[0007]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the infusion filter of the present invention will be described below, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
[0008]
The housing of the infusion filter of the present invention is preferably cylindrical and has a chemical solution inlet and a chemical solution outlet at one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction. A filtration part is provided between the chemical solution inlet and the chemical solution outlet, and the filtration part is constituted by a hydrophilic porous hollow fiber membrane. The porous hollow fiber membrane is, for example, sealed at the tip end and the base end opened at the end face of the seal portion and fixed by a sealant. The hollow fiber may be U-shaped with both ends aligned and fixed with a sealing material, and both open ends may be opened at the end face of the sealing portion, or both ends of the hollow fiber may be fixed with a sealing material, Each open end may be opened at the end face of the seal portion.
[0009]
The site | part which fixes this porous hollow fiber membrane of a housing inner wall with a sealing member is the characteristics of this invention, The preferable embodiment is described below, However, It is not necessarily limited to these.
[0010]
Means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filter housing is provided in the seal part that tightly fixes at least one end of the hollow fiber of the housing. The means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filter housing may be integrated with the housing or separate.
[0011]
In the case where the means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filtration part housing is integrated with the housing, for example, the inner diameter of the seal part is made smaller than the inner diameter of the filtration part housing. The reduced diameter portion may be provided on the inner wall in the vicinity of the interface between the seal portion and the filtration portion, or may be reduced to the end of the housing below the interface position. In the reduced diameter seal portion, the hollow fiber is gripped at an interval enough to allow the seal material to flow in. On the other hand, an interval is secured between the hollow fiber bundle of the filtration part and the inner wall of the housing so that the sealing material does not enter between the inner wall of the housing and the surface of the hollow fiber bundle due to capillary action during sealing. In a configuration in which the space between the inner wall of the housing and the hollow fiber is simply secured by the housing having the same inner diameter as the entire length of the housing, a fixing tool for positioning the hollow fiber bundle at the center of the housing is required at the time of sealing. However, by adopting such a shape, the hollow fiber is gripped by the reduced diameter portion, so there is no need for an additional step of positioning at the center of the housing by the fixing tool, which complicates the manufacturing process. It is preferable because it is not accompanied.
[0012]
A circular ring is preferred if the means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filter housing is separate from the housing, but is not limited to this, and a part of the circular ring is cut. It may be a C-shaped ring having a starting end and a ring having a different outer diameter or / and inner diameter. Examples of the material of the ring-shaped material include a synthetic resin such as polycarbonate, polyethylene, polystyrene, and methyl methacrylate, or a silicone rubber. As described above, the hollow fiber bundle around which the ring is mounted is gripped with an interval enough for the sealing material to flow in. The hollow fiber bundle is regulated to have substantially the same diameter as the inner diameter of the ring at least at a portion in contact with the ring. Accordingly, at least the width of the ring is ensured between the portion of the hollow fiber bundle around which the ring is in contact with the ring and the inner wall of the housing. Here, the width of the ring is a length represented by a half of the difference between the inner diameter and the outer diameter of the ring.
[0013]
The housing that accommodates the hollow fiber bundle with the ring mounted may have the same inner diameter over the entire length, or part of the inner diameter of the housing so that the ring is fixed horizontally in the housing when sealed. It may be provided with a portion that changes in diameter and contacts the ring.
[0014]
By providing a means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle as described above in the housing from the inner diameter of the filter housing, the filling ratio with respect to the housing volume of the preferred hollow fiber is maintained, and the manufacturing process is not complicated. It is possible to ensure a sufficient distance between the hollow fiber of the filtration part and the inner wall of the housing, and when the means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filtration part housing is a ring, the ring Since it acts as a resistance wall against the sealing material to enter between the inner wall of the housing and the surface of the hollow fiber bundle, it is possible to effectively prevent a reduction in the effective filtration area and poor appearance of the hollow fiber.
[0015]
【Example】
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of an infusion filter, and FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of an infusion filter according to another embodiment.
[0016]
The housing of the infusion filter A of the present embodiment is composed of a main body 2 having a cylindrical shape, and lid members 3 and 4 that close open ends of the cylindrical main body. An infusion port 5 and an infusion port 6 are formed on the opposing surfaces of the housing body 2 and the lid materials 3 and 4, and each port protrudes outward, and the solution feeding pipes 7 and 8 are connected. It is like that.
[0017]
The housing main body 2 is composed of an end seal portion 2A to which a lid member 4 is attached and a filtration portion 2B located above the seal portion 2A. The filtration part 2B is comprised by the hollow fiber bundle 9 fixed in the state which penetrated the seal | sticker part 2A material. The material of the sealing material may be, for example, an epoxy resin or a polyurethane resin.
[0018]
As shown in FIG. 1, the inner diameter of the housing of the seal portion is reduced compared to that of the filtration portion 2B, and the hollow fiber bundle 9 inserted from one end of the cylindrical housing body has a sealing material on the reduced diameter seal portion. It is gripped at intervals enough to flow in.
[0019]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the inner diameter of the housing of the seal portion is larger than that of the filtration portion, and the hollow fiber bundle 9 inserted from one end of the cylindrical housing body is preliminarily set to the housing inner diameter of the seal portion. The O-ring 23 made of silicone rubber having the same outer diameter and the same inner diameter as the hollow fiber bundle is regulated with the same gripping force as described above, and the O-ring 23 changes the housing inner diameter. It has been inserted to the diameter boundary.
[0020]
In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, there is a sufficient space between the housing inner wall of the filtration part 2B and the hollow fiber bundle 9 so that the sealing material 24 filled in the seal part 2A does not enter more than the seal part 2A due to capillary action. Is secured.
[0021]
The housing body 2 and the lids 3 and 4 are made of synthetic resin such as polycarbonate, polystyrene, polymethyl methacrylate, etc., and the housing body is preferably made of transparent synthetic resin such as polycarbonate.
[0022]
The hollow fiber bundle 9 is composed of a hydrophilic porous hollow fiber. The hollow fiber is U-shaped, aligned at both ends, fixed to a sealing material, and both ends open at the end face of the seal portion 2A. doing.
[0023]
Examples of the material of the hydrophilic porous hollow fiber include polysulfone hydrolyzed, cellulose acetate, nylon, polypropylene, polyethylene and the like, but may be conventionally used hollow fibers, and are not particularly limited thereto. It is not something.
[0024]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the infusion filter of the present invention, the hollow fiber bundle is provided so as to ensure a sufficient space between the inner wall of the filtration unit housing and the hollow fiber bundle surface so that the sealing material does not enter due to capillary action. By providing a means for reducing the outer diameter of the filter part housing from the inner diameter of the filter part housing, it is possible to prevent the sealing material from entering between the inner wall of the filter part housing and the surface of the hollow fiber bundle. Therefore, the reduction of the effective filtration membrane area can be reduced, and the appearance is not deteriorated. In addition, a sufficient distance between the inner wall of the filtration unit housing and the surface of the hollow fiber bundle is ensured by regulating the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle by means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filtration unit housing. Therefore, the suitable filling rate of the hollow fiber of the filtration part is not impaired, and the manufacturing process is not complicated.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is an overall side sectional view of one embodiment of an infusion filter of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an overall side sectional view of another embodiment of the infusion filter of the present invention.
[Explanation of symbols]
A. 1. Infusion filter Housing body 2A. Seal part 2B. Filtration unit 23. O-ring 24. Sealing material 3, 4. 4. Lid material Infusion inlet 6. 7. Infusion outlet 7,8. 8. Liquid feeding tube Hollow fiber bundle

Claims (3)

In an infusion filter provided with a filtration part composed of a porous hollow fiber in a housing having an infusion inlet and an infusion outlet,
At least one end of the hollow fiber is sealed with a seal portion filled with a sealing material ,
An infusion filter characterized in that means for reducing the outer diameter of the hollow fiber bundle from the inner diameter of the filtration section housing is provided by reducing the inner diameter of the housing adjacent to the seal section from the inner diameter of the filtration section housing. In an infusion filter provided with a filtration part composed of a porous hollow fiber in a housing having an infusion inlet and an infusion outlet,
At least one end of the hollow fiber is sealed with a seal portion filled with a sealing material ,
An infusion filter comprising a means for reducing the diameter of a bundle of hollow fibers from the inner diameter of the filter housing on the inner surface of the seal portion. The means for reducing the diameter is
A ring of the housing and another member,
The infusion filter according to claim 2 , wherein the hollow fiber is wrapped around the ring.

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